These blog posts could be interesting for anyone, but especially if you are a parent/carer of a child or young person with additional needs or a disability.
We are all sensory creatures, exploring, understanding, and engaging with the world through all our many senses. This is just as true for someone who may have additional (special) needs as it is for anyone else.Sometimes we can be under-responsive (or hypo-sensitive) to sensory inputs, sometimes we can be over-responsive (or hyper-sensitive) to sensory inputs. … Continue reading How Happy Haircuts Happen!
Ukraine burns as the world watches on in horror. Many Ukrainians are escaping to neighbouring countries or relatively ‘safe’ parts of western Ukraine, but many millions are trapped in the living hell of cities being constantly shelled and bombed by the Russian military. As always, those who suffer most in conflict zones, whether through the … Continue reading The Toll Of War On Ukraine’s Disabled Children
Little by little the days are getting long, lighter, maybe even warmer… Green shoots are pushing up through the earth and there are the first flowers of the year, snowdrops and crocuses dazzling us with their beauty. Spring is coming! Crocuses and daisies on a grass field If, like me, you find winter especially hard, … Continue reading Spring Is Coming: 10 Ideas To Get Out And Enjoy It!
A book to help children’s, youth, and families’ workers, as well as families themselves, to understand more about Autism, how to identify and remove the barriers that Autistic children and young people can often experience in church, and how together we can create inclusion, belonging, and spiritual development for all. The journey of writing this … Continue reading My New Book: ‘How To Include Autistic Children And Young People in Church’
A lot of things have changed for James over the past six months. He had his 19th Birthday in June, and since then we have been working through many transitions from children’s services to adult services. Different teams, different styles, different locations, lots of changes. David Bowie might have written a song about it… This … Continue reading The Tooth Fairy Is Real, And Her Name Is Sarah…
I don’t know about you, but I've tried to keep the festive season going as long as possible, hanging on to the Christmas tree until the last needle had dropped and stretching out the leftover food in as many creative ways as possible. I’m always the last in our street to be taking the plethora … Continue reading 12 New Year Resolutions For Inclusive Children’s And Youth Work
If you’ve been following Strictly Come Dancing this year, you can't help but to have been thrilled by the progress of Rose Ayling-Ellis a Deaf actress who plays ‘Frankie’ on Eastenders, and her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice. Well last night was the Strictly Come Dancing final! [Spoiler alert: the result is mentioned and featured … Continue reading Rose And Giovanni: Inclusion Champions!
“Paddy McGuinness and his wife Christine have three children, eight year-old twins Leo and Penelope, and five year-old Felicity. All three have been diagnosed with autism, a condition that means your brain works in a different way from other people, and can impact how you interact with the world.” This is the introduction to the … Continue reading Our Family And Autism – Paddy and Christine McGuinness – Helpful? Or Harmful?
There are an awful lots of Autism myths out there; most are ridiculous, some would actually be quite funny if they weren’t so harmful, but they do seem to somehow persist in the national consciousness. So, here’s my guide to the top ten Autism myths and how we can bust them: “We’re all ‘on the … Continue reading Busting Ten Autism Myths
Autumn is a fabulous time of the year, so many changes in the natural world and so many treasures to look for and find! We’ve been making a natural fiddles/fidget box, maybe you would like to make one too?There are loads of wonderful, sensory things that you can add to a natural fiddles/fidget box. I’ll … Continue reading Make A Natural Autumn Fiddles/Fidget Box!
Delightful Handmade Dog Products and Gifts
An additional needs Dad and Son baking adventure...
Special Education Teaching Resources, Sensory Stories and SEND Information
The Additional Needs Blogfather 